Crossing Western Mountains of New Mexico by Bicycle

There are many great long-distance bike routesare in Omega, NM. Yes very nice folks there, but
across New Mexico. One is from Four Cornersyou need to keep riding, we have barely started
thru the Mountains and it is truly grueling and yetand NM is a huge state to cross.There will be
spectacular up and down the mountainous terrainmany towns along the way some actually have
and such a ride is not for the amateurs, unlessnames, but are very small. At about the 65-mile
you are diehard of personal character. Then theremark in the trek we will come to the Intersection
is another lower route on Hwy 180, very scenicof Hwy 12 and Hwy 60. No you will not be
as well thru Silver City, Hatch, White Sands,allowed to turn, you must keep going. At about
Ruidoso and into Roswell then into Texas. That isthe 95-mile mile marker we will see the VLA or
worth doing, no I have not cycled it, but I haveVery Large Array, with the radio telescope
taken that route by motor home, very nice.Letantennas (seen in the Hollywood Movie; Contact).
us consider different and yet equally spectacularWe will have dropped about 500 feet in elevation
route. Lets start this Trek in Springer, AZ onand soon start the 23 mile down hill journey into
Highway 60 at about 7000 feet above sea level.Socorro, NM at an elevation of 4600 feet.This is a
You will enjoy the 12-mile warm up as yougood days ride for many at 130 miles of
approach the New Mexico Border. Riding acrossmountain riding and Socorro, NM might be a good
the high plain takes a lot out of you indeed.Oncestopping point for you. For me, I must keep riding
you cross that border it is a good 32 miles untilon my Trek Across America, as the days are
you even hit a major cross road and when youmoving ahead and the calendar does not rest for
do it will Hwy 32 and it will be a two lane highwaythe wicked.Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank
with a stop sign, but not for you, you need toforum board.
keep riding for another mile or two and then you